If you are a parent, you probably are responsible for buying 3-5 birthday presents per year per child for your child’s friends’ birthdays. It’s expensive and time consuming. You can save time and money by buying some of the gifts in advance, specifically during the Thanksgiving to Christmas sales.
Written: 2012
Reviewed: 2023
Buy Presents that Most Children Enjoy
Obviously buying trendy, hot toys in advance is risky. Today’s Squishmallows are yesterday’s Silly Bandz are last century’s Pet Rocks. But it should be the birthday child’s family that provides those last-minute-must-have gifts anyway. If your child is just a friend attending a party, any respectable gift is good enough.
Toys that most children enjoy include the classics like Lego. Lego has the added advantage that it can be reassembled in different ways. In fact, to build some really cool Lego structures and habitats you need a ton of pieces.
Buy Them at Deep Discounts
And guess what? Lego goes on sale, sometimes deeply on sale, for the November and December sales.
A quick scan of the online sales sites for ToysRUs and Walmart shows sets on for 25-40% off regular price. Sometimes even very expensive sets are on 20% off for a few weeks in late October and early November.
Other toys that go on deep discount at this time of year as lures to get you into the store include Barbie dolls. If you have a daughter of a certain age, her friends are probably going to find a Barbie acceptable. You can improve the odds of it being liked by choosing a doll that allows the owner to DO something. For example, there are dolls that come with little dog grooming sets, horses, doctor, astronaut or artist sets. Then even if the child isn’t that keen on the doll, they at least have small toys to use while playing with their favourite stuffed animal.
Keep an eye on ads and flyers for stores that stock a few toys at very low prices to draw traffic. For instance, Canadian Tire often brings in toys and sells them at 30-50% off retail.
Look for Year End Clearances
Also, since you want the toys for the following year, look for year-end clearances from stores that don’t want extra stock sitting around. You can sometimes get good toys for 80% off at stores that don’t stock toys year-round. Canadian Tire, again, often has big sales after December 25. So do smaller Walmart stores.
Think Beyond the Toy Bin
Other good buy ahead and have on hand birthday present ideas include the unexpected:
- Cool flashlights
- Super soft beach towels
- Cozy sleeping bags
- Compasses
- MultiTools
- Real cooking tools
(The compasses and multiTools are particularly good for Spy Kids.)
Many of these items also come on sale for the holiday rush. Put yourself in a child’s mind and flip through the flyers thinking, “what if….”
Then go out and get the coolest gifts for the lowest cost.
Join In
Have you discovered a great holiday bargain that can be bought ahead for later birthdays? What’s your favourite unexpected gift to give or receive? Please share your experiences with a comment.